University United Methodist Church Report - New Orleans: Mission Trip

University United Methodist Church Report

New Orleans: Mission Trip

Feb. 21, 2010

 

 

How Yall Doing Today . that was the universal greeting from everyone you met in New Orleans.  It didnt matter whether it was at Burger King, Home Depot or in the shops in the French Quarter.. .you were always greeted in the same genuine and positive tone.

 

I recently returned from our UUMC 10 day mission trip to New Orleans and have been asked to share some of our experiences.  Our mission was to repair and rebuild Louisiana homes impacted by Hurricane Katrina.  

 

On behalf of the 18 members of the work team representing UUMC..

 

I give thanks:

 

         to you..our families and friends, for your support, prayers, concerns and interest in our mission.  The e-mails and phone calls we received during the week were encouraging.

 

I give thanks:

 

         to the Sikeston, Missouri United Methodist Church who provided our first nights lodging and recommended we go to Lamberts Restaurant - home of the thrown rolls for dinner. 

 

I give thanks:

 

         to the Shepherdsville, Kentucky United Methodist Church south of Louisville that provided our last nights lodging and delivered upon us 6 inches of snow that we carried home to Michigan.

 

I give thanks:

 

         Finally, to the Carrollton United Methodist Church in New Orleans for serving as our host.  The kitchen may have been small, the showers cramped, the beds uncomfortable, and the fluorescent light was burned out at the top of the stairs --  but it was our haven.  Our home away from home for a week.  Over the years, we at UUMC have raised funds and actually helped remodel the Carrollton Church so it can be used as a volunteer center.

 

Our original departure was delayed a day due to heavy snow and ice storms in Kentucky and Tennessee. We detoured around the Nashville area and arrived in New Orleans on Monday afternoon and had lost a work day.  We soon found out that the other work teams traveling from Maryland and North Carolina were also delayed in their arrivals.

 

 

As we drove into the city, the destruction was very apparent.  It is amazing that even after 4   years there is still so much that needs to be done.  Boats and homes left abandoned in the bayous could be seen as we drove over the causeway.  As we approached New Orleans on the inter-state highway images from television newscasts came to mind of the survivors who had gathered on the expressway awaiting their rescue.  When we passed the Superdome you couldnt help but remember the tragic scenes inside and out of the domed-stadium.  Everywhere you looked were reminders of wind and water damage.   

 

Leonard Carter, Project Manager, of the Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry spoke to us upon our arrival in New Orleans.  He told us that the recovery program has been dedicated to those he calls the Least, the Last and the Lost:

 

  • those in New Orleans that had the very least to begin with
  • those in New Orleans who were the last to be rescued
  • those in New Orleans who lost everything

 

We were divided into two work teams and assigned two houses we would work on for the week.  They were located in different parts of the city and were in need of different types of work.

 

House #1- located in the now famous 9th ward near the Industrial Canal has been entirely re-built on the original foundation.  We:

 

  • Prepped the floors for future floor covering
  • Laid tile flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms
  • Installed laminate wood flooring
  • Hung doors in bedroom and closets

 

House #2 was also located near the Industrial Canal in a section of the city called the Gentilly area.  We:

 

  • Textured all the walls and ceilings in the entire house
  • Completely painted the interior of the home

 

Both houses are works in progress.  Future work will be done by other mission groups.

 

You need to know that the majority of the work done over the last 4 years in the Gulf region has been completed by volunteers.

 

We have estimated that each team member worked approximately 25 - 30 hours during the week.  The volunteer hours are calculated at a rate of $19 per hour and that amount is then deducted from the federal loans that were granted to the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina.  As a result of our efforts, we were able to improve two property sites and reduced the debt to the city of New Orleans by over $10,000.

 

We ended our week in New Orleans by worshipping with the congregation of the Carrollton church.  The service concluded with a spirited rendition of When The Saints Go Marching In which included all 4 verses and a special Who Dat ending.

 

And, what an exiting time to be in New Orleans as the SAINTS won the Super Bowl.  The entire town was electric.  Everywhere you went, you saw black and gold, the Fleur De Lis, the #9 football jersey and heard chants from the "Who Dat nation.

 

You couldnt have written a better script for a Hollywood movie.  A town abandoned because of a disastrous storm.  A quarterback abandoned by his team after a disastrous shoulder injury.  They join forces.  The result is MAGIC!


I learned a lot last week.  I learned a lot about myself.  I learned more than just how to apply textured paint to a ceiling or hang a door.  I learned about the power of giving back.  And, when that gift is combined with the hope and perseverance of an entire city......anything is possible.

 

Disasters like Katrina have many story lines.  There are those of the destruction caused by wind, rain and flooding.  Other stories tell of the suffering of an entire region.  This was thee BIG ONE and it changed the lives of millions forever. 

 

But the greatest story from Katrina is the one that tells of the aid and of the giving.  It has brought out the best in people.   From the residents who held onto their hope and faith..to the thousands of volunteers who have donated time, money and talents.

 

It was an amazing week.  A week I will never forget.

 

There is so much still to do.  But the spirit of re-birth in the city of New Orleans is contagious. 

 

I was proud to be a part of our UUMC mission team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Ulrich

ru4msu@gmail.com

                              2/21/2010

 

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